Bonny Herman, president and CEO of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association for nearly 20 years, has resigned effective Jan. 17.

Herman has taken a position as president and CEO of the California Center for Regional Leadership, a statewide nonprofit organization established to promote regional solutions to problems through a network of groups from throughout California on economic, environmental and quality of life issues.

Herman said that she decided to leave VICA because of the opportunity that the new position brings.

“It’s like VICA on steroids,” Herman said about the organization known as CCRL. The group’s current president and CEO, Nick Bollman, is retiring.

She said her new position will allow her to stay involved and work on implementing solutions for some of the issues she has been involved in with VICA, which serves as a political advocacy group for local business.

“She’s done great things and taken (VICA) to a new level,” VICA Chairman Bob Scott said of Herman’s tenure.

Scott said VICA will look for “someone who has regional experience” in searching for a replacement for Herman.

“We’re going to look for someone who hits the ground running,” Scott said.
VICA’s president and CEO is responsible for running the daily operations of the organization including planning its special events and working with VICA’s more than 300 members in its advocacy efforts.

Herman, who started at VICA in July 1986, said she has enjoyed her many years with the group.

“There were no two days alike,” she said.

CCRL is headquartered in San Francisco but Herman said she won’t necessarily relocate from the Valley to run the organization. She said she will be doing a lot of traveling and using a “virtual” office. She hopes to eventually set up a permanent Valley office for the group.

“I want to work off the strength of the relationship I have in the Valley,” she said.